The Future of University Education: On Campus vs. Online
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Transcript of The Future of University Education: On Campus vs. Online
22
PULSEPOINT PERSPECTIVE
• A national debate is being fueled by the rapid and widespread adoption by students and well-known, respected institutions of MOOCs (massive open online courses).
• Primarily based on cost efficiencies, there is a call for online universities to become the new model for higher education institutions.
• For some, large enrollments seem sufficient enough evidence to support the proposition for online universities, however, there has been little discussion about what would be sacrificed in the exchange of an online for an on campus experience.
• As Presidents and Boards of higher education institutions look to make decisions with long term implications, important issues have yet to be debated.
33
KEY QUESTIONS FOR SENIOR LEADERSHIP
1. What is the value proposition of an on campus versus an online experience?
2. What is the size of the US market for university sponsored online courses?
3. Who are the key target audiences for online courses?
4. What are prospective students willing to pay for online courses?
5. What is the University’s role in the national debate about offering online courses?
44
SURVEY METHOLODOGY
• Fielded May 23-May 27, 2013• Online Survey: 7 minutes (median)• Completed Sample Size: 1500• Complete Rate: 43%
55
SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS
• National distribution: 25% in four quadrants of US; all states represented
• Education: (Distribution of degrees for college and post-college graduates)– High School graduates– College graduates– Post-graduates: Master’s, Doctorate, Post-Doctorate
• Age: 16-69 years of age• Income: Distribution range: less than $30K-$250K+• Children living at home: 73% (0-20+ years of age)• Racial and ethnic diversity (White: 85%)• Gender: Equal female/male
66
SURVEY QUESTION AREAS
• Preference and benefits of attending a college or university in person versus online
• Awareness, participation, and completion of past online courses
• Influencers for taking online courses• Level of interest in taking online courses and
reasons for interest and hesitation about online courses
• Reasons for taking online courses at various price points
• Reasons for why online courses should be offered
88
ON CAMPUS UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE PREFERRED
5=Prefer to Attend University In Person4321=Prefer to Attend On-line University
44%
18%
17%
8%
13%
3 to 1 Preference for Attending a University in Person (top 2 box)
Question: If you had a choice, would you prefer to attend a university or college in person or online? Please use a scale of 1-5, where 1=I would prefer to attend an online university, 5=I would prefer to go to and attend a university in person.
99
MORE BENEFITS WITH AN ON CAMPUS EXPERIENCE
Benefits On Campus %
Online %
Difference%
Get a better job 62 55 7
Meet new people 52 3 49
Learn more about a particular subject matter 52 50 2
Obtain a personally rewarding career 50 35 15
Be challenged 49 36 13
Learn how to think more critically and express myself better
46 24 22
Obtain financial security 43 37 6
Learn how to be independent 42 17 24
Get a degree and elevate my status in society 40 38 2
An opportunity I will remember the rest of my life 39 8 31
Learn more about the world 38 15 22
Become a better person 34 17 17
1010
MORE BENEFITS WITH THE ON CAMPUS EXPERIENCE
Benefits On Campus %
Online %
Difference%
Participate with other students in extracurricular activities
32 1 31
Become more social 32 2 30
Become a leader 29 11 18
Better contribute to the community 28 12 16
Work with faculty members 26 5 21
Live in a dorm and experience dorm life 23 .5 23
Have more fun 22 3 19
Make the world a better place 20 8 12
Be with my friends 18 1 17
Get into graduate school 17 15 2
Conduct research 17 12 5
Fits this time in my life 13 46 -33
1111
HIGH AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION WITH ONLINE COURSES
• 98% have heard of an online course• 44% have checked out an online course • 42% started an online course, but did not
complete it – High school grads and Bachelor’s grad more
likely than graduate degree to not complete
• 59% started an online course and completed it
1212
ONLINE COURSES TAKEN IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND. PREFERENCE FOR NOT FOR
PROFITS
• When online courses were taken and completed:– During high school: 3%– While in college: 27%– While in graduate school: 14%– After formal education and not in school at the
time: 63%
• Where online courses were taken:– Not for profit online university: 42%– For profit online university: 36%– Other: 25%
1313
LESS FAMILIARITY WITH NEWEST PROGRAMS
None of the above
Other
Online high school
Khan Academy
For Profit
University associated
2U
Udacity
edX
Coursera
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
% Selected University associated searched by Bachelor’s and Graduate degree vs.
For Profit by all groups
Question: Which of the following, if any, have you checked out?
1414
MODERATE INTEREST IN NEXT 3 YEARS
26% Express Interest (Top 2 Box)
5=Very interested4321=Not al all interested
11%
15%
26%
29%
19%
Question: How interested are you in taking an online course in the next three years? Please rate on a 5-point scale, where 1=not at all interested, and 5=very interested.
1515
ANTICIPATED POPULARITY OF ONLINE COURSES
20-60% of people taking online courses next 5 years
0-19%20-39%40-59%60-79%80-100%
12%
42%27%
16%2%
Question: If you had to predict, what percent of people will be taking online courses in the next five years?
1616
INFLUENCERS WILL ACCELERATE INTEREST
• 19% of their children have taken an online course
• 88% of their children are 14+ years of age and have taken an online course– 54% are 19 years old
• 58% know of someone who has taken an online course or received an online degree
1717
VARIED BENEFITS WITH ONLINE COURSES
Benefits % Selected
Add to knowledge in an area of interest 54
Learn something new 54
Supplement my job 35
Add to my knowledge in my current degree 32
Get a new degree 32
Get up to speed on what’s happening today 18
Finish a degree 15
Receive instruction from a well-known university/college 12
Retake something I didn’t learn well before 11
Test preparation 7
Receive instruction from a well-known professor 6
More fun learning this way 4
Meet new people 2
Other 4
1818
HESITATIONS FOR TAKING ONLINE COURSES
Hesitations % Selected
Too expensive 38
Not sure it would be worth my while 32
Don’t have the time 31
I prefer going to a class and being with people 29
Not well taught 20
Less fun learning this way 19
Too much homework 11
Haven’t heard of it before 3
I don’t have ready access to a computer 2
Other 7
Question: What would make you less interested or make it less possible for you to take an online course? Select all that apply.
1919
PRICE AFFECTS INTEREST
Course is free $100/Course $250/Course $500/Course $1,000/Course
0102030405060708090
% Indicating “Wouldn’t take or pay this much for an online course”
2020
ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCED BY PRICEAttributes % Free % $100 % $250 % $500 % $1,000
Subject matter of interest/relevant to me 67 50 32 16 9
Relevant to my job 48 42 31 18 11
Good instruction by any professor 38 30 19 8 4
Offered by a well known university 37 31 26 15 9
Relevant to a job I hope to get 32 32 25 14 8
Certification for my job 32 32 25 15 8
Good word of mouth recommendations 27 22 17 9 5
Become registered professionally 20 21 18 11 6
Offered by any university 19 16 11 6 3
Professor tries to make it fun/interesting 18 17 12 8 4
Good instruction by well known prof 17 20 18 12 7
Offered by a university close to me 16 13 9 6 3
I wouldn’t take a free/pay this much for an online course
7 18 40 64 77
Other 1 2 1 1 1
2121
EQUAL SPLIT ON RESPONSIBILITY TO OFFER ONLINE COURSES
% Rating
5=Should definitely have to offer4321=Should definitely not have to offer
33%
13%
21% 19%
15%
Question: Do you think that universities and colleges should have to offer free online courses? Please rate on a scale of 1-5, where 1=universities should definitely not have to offer free online courses, and 5=universities should definitely have to offer free online courses.
2222REASONS FOR WHY UNIVERSITIES SHOULD OFFER FREE ONLINE
COURSES Reasons % Selected
This makes it possible for everyone to receive some additional education
64
The current cost of university education is too high 52
It is important to improve the level of education for all citizens
52
With access to the Internet, it is possible to offer online education
41
Some universities are already offering free online instruction 20
Other 6
Question: Why do you think universities/colleges should be offering free online courses. Select all that apply.
2424
CONCLUSIONS
• Balance and build infrastructure.– Prospective students highly value the on campus
experience. Therefore, the adoption of online offerings should be more evolutionary than revolutionary. The most appealing educational experience is a combination of the best of the on campus experience AND the online offerings.
– The pricing of online offerings makes the non-academic offering more transparent. Therefore, the non-academic experience will become more important than ever as a meaningful differentiator.
2525
CONCLUSIONS
• Fortify your brand.– Prospective students are willing to pay the
most for the best brands.– In the online world, the competitive frame
increases dramatically. Knowing your customer and what is relevant is more important than ever in a crowded marketplace with similar products.
– Create an identifiable brand and strategically reinforce it with internal and external audiences.
2626
CONCLUSIONS
• Take charge.– Don’t let provider dilute your brand.– Put a basic infrastructure in place including a
business plan, the right leadership, and partnerships.– Start with students and alumni, those who know you
best. Include alumni as a key beneficiary of this new form of learning and engage them as brand stewards.
– Create a narrative for your faculty regarding this issue.
– Communicate with the Board on the pros and cons of online programs and long term implications.
– This is an important national agenda item and one with which institutions should have a point of view.